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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25590070">A Future With You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eleanore_Delphinium/pseuds/Eleanore_Delphinium'>Eleanore_Delphinium</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Justice League vs. Teen Titans (2016), Teen Titans - All Media Types, Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aged-Up Character(s), Angst, Birthday Party, Celebrations, Dating, Death, F/M, Family, Family Bonding, Family Dinner, Family Drama, Family Member Death, Gotham City - Freeform, Lack of Communication, Long-Distance Friendship, Long-Distance Relationship, Long-Term Relationship(s), Loss of Parent(s), Love, Miscommunication, Multi, Regrets, Romance, Secret Crush, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Love</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 04:56:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>17,721</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25590070</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eleanore_Delphinium/pseuds/Eleanore_Delphinium</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In our twenties, after Trigon's defeat, who would have thought this is how we would end up?</p><p>The story of what happens after Raven left the Teen Titans after her father's fall. And being Damian's girlfriend with all his responsibilities. </p><p>Still. I love you.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alfred Pennyworth &amp; Raven, Cassandra Cain &amp; Tim Drake &amp; Dick Grayson &amp; Duke Thomas &amp; Jason Todd &amp; Bruce Wayne &amp; Damian Wayne, Damian Wayne &amp; Jonathan Samuel Kent &amp; Raven, Damian Wayne &amp; Titus &amp; Raven, Jonathan Samuel Kent &amp; Damian Wayne, Jonathan Samuel Kent &amp; Raven &amp; Superman, Jonathan Samuel Kent/Raven, Raven &amp; Original Characters, Raven/Damian Wayne, Robin/Raven, Tim Drake &amp; Dick Grayson &amp; Alfred Pennyworth &amp; Jason Todd &amp; Bruce Wayne &amp; Damian Wayne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>79</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Check out Elanore-Delpinium at Tumblr, I post DamiRae Fanfics there first.</p><p>And karencow on FF.net. I compile my works there and are first to be updated.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>Damian Wayne was thirteen when he had met Raven who was a year older than him. He was sent to the Teen Titans headquarters to be a part of a bigger team. His father’s exact words were “You need to learn how to be a team player,” as Batman helped Nightwing up from the ground, “not only a partner”.</p><p>Damian was a grouchy young man and did not get along with anyone in the Tower at first. Raven and Damian did not have a very good impression of one another. But who would have known that after two weeks they would become close friends?</p><p>Four months after Damian arrived, he was appointed as the new leader of the Teen Titans. And two months after Damian’s appointment, his best friend Jonathan Lane Kent joined the team. Raven and Jonathan or Jon as he is mostly called, got along instantly. Raven and Jon got along better than Damian and Raven did in their first meeting, a fact Damian was not fond of.</p><p>Damian and Jon had known each other prior to being a Teen Titan member and they have had their fair share of adventures. But working as a pair and in a team were two different things. Damian trusted Jon and Jon trusted Damian and are a perfect pair together. But once you put Damian with someone he did not know, he reverts back to his distrustful nature and can become rather critical. He would take the lead thinking he knows better. And that is why Batman decided he needed a new environment to grow. Damian needed help with his social skills and so why not let him join the Titans.</p><p>In Damian’s first four months, he had finally gotten along with his team and was closest to Raven. But once Jon came into the picture, his relationship with everyone became a bit strained. The most notable strain in Damian’s relationship between the Titans was with Raven. Jon was the type of person that got along with anyone, and Damian felt insecure with how quickly he integrated into the team. And very unsettled with his closeness to Raven. This was resolved in time and Damian got along with everyone once again. However, their adventures then are for another story.</p><p>Eventually the three would become the bests of friends. And who would have known that Damian would fall in love with Raven and finally ask her out five years later. Even though the two were dating, they were still best friends with Jon and on occasions jealousy would bloom between the three.</p><p>Raven was at the living room of the apartment Damian had gotten for her. She was looking out at Gotham, in the dark, save the moonlight seeping through the glass walls. She held a mug filled with tea that had gotten cold.</p><p>Damian had got up from bed when he realized his beloved was not with him. He walked out to see her just staring out at Gotham’s nightscape.</p><p>He couldn’t help but admire the side profile of the beauty who was absent-mindedly looking out at the city, in one of his white t-shirts. At first, he had thought she looked sad, but when he blinked and got a second look, he thought that he must have been seeing things as he had just awoken.</p><p>It had been three years since they dated. She had recently twenty-two and he would be twenty-one soon. And it has almost been a year and a half since Trigon’s defeat and Raven leaving the Titans. And even though she has not been a member of the Titans for almost two years, Raven had only started living at Gotham for six months.</p><p>“Why are you awake, my love?” Damian’s husky voice startled Raven who was about to drink from her cold tea. She turns to look at Damian who was by their bedroom door. She smiles at him.</p><p>“I was just thinking.” She replied as she turned to look at him. She leans against the glass wall and took a sip from her tea. She scrunches her face at the realization that her hot tea was no longer hot. She also ponders how long she had stood on that spot as she realized the state of her tea. Damian had already reached her whilst she contemplated about her tea. He wraps his arms around her waist bringing her back to the present.</p><p>The apartment was not that big because Raven had opted for a smaller place. A one bed-room apartment with an open floor plan for the kitchen, dining area and living room. It also came with a small balcony. And since their unit was at a higher floor, if a vigilante in Gotham so happens to swing by, they could perch up on the balcony, a fact Damian was very proud of. The bedroom came with a fairly big enough walk in closet for two and its own bathroom. It was for the better that Raven had insisted for a smaller place because between Damian’s busy schedule and him living at Wayne Manor and Titan Tower, she was normally left alone. In fact, she felt that the apartment was bigger than actuality.</p><p>Damian had insisted on getting a bigger space but he conceded with Raven’s wishes. He had also asked her to move in at the Wayne Manor, however she did not want to intrude. And she did not want to be in the limelight, which would be a given once she lives there. Their civilian relationship was on the down-low because neither like the limelight, especially about their romantic interests.</p><p>“And what are you thinking about?” He asks her as he buries his head on her shoulder. He breathes in her scent, it smelled of vanilla. He hears her chuckle and he pulled away.</p><p>“You almost knocked down my mug!” She says as she moved away from him to put her mug down on the counter table. She then sits on the bar stool and spins her chair to face Damian.</p><p>“Well, I have been thinking of going to Gotham University.” She notices that as he approached her; he made a face. “I knew you would not approve of it!” And he scrunches his face again at the thought, he then places his hands on either side of her waist.</p><p>“You know I never even wanted you to move into Gotham--of all places.” Damian does not hide his disgusted face.</p><p>“Well, it’s either Gotham University or Metropolis. Pick your poison, Damian Wayne!” Raven points at his chest and in response he gives her a hug.</p><p>“You’re really making me pick?” Damian couldn’t help but complain. “What do you even plan to take if you go to Gotham University?” She smiles at his response as she gently pushes him off of her and she looks at his green eyes.</p><p>“Well, I was thinking about majoring in history.” She knew he couldn’t stand the idea of her being with Jon for a long period of time, and yet trusted Jon the most to take care of her if it comes to.</p><p>She knew of his insecurity with Jon and they have talked about it and cleared it up, but Damian Wayne was a man of contradictions. Despite his insecurity there was no other man, that wasn’t family, he could trust to take care of the woman he loves. And so, the choice truly boiled down to Damian preferring Raven near his entire family or Jon alone. Jon was half alien and for sure can handle things, but numbers speak louder in this case. So, you couldn’t blame him for choosing Gotham despite its criminal record. Raven could obviously take care of herself; it was just an added bonus that if it came to it, Damian has his family looking out for her.</p><p>“Alright, I can ask Pennyworth to arrange it.” Damian sighs.</p><p>“No, you don’t have to—” She had begun; however, Damian shot a gaze that was similar to the time he insisted to pay for the apartment. Initially since it was her who was moving to Gotham, she had wanted to pay for her apartment, but Damian would not have it. She knew that she couldn’t say no to his offer this time too.</p><p>“Alright.” She smiles as she got up and hugged him.</p><p>“Then let’s go back to bed. Let’s talk about this tomorrow morning.” He whispers as he squeezes her in his arms and then kisses her ear. But he was not able to see the empty gaze Raven had at that moment. She pulls away and then looks at him with a loving smile.</p><p>“Yes.” And he guides her back to their bedroom.</p><p>The next morning Damian had woken up without Raven by his side again. He couldn’t help but freak out when his hand couldn’t find her small body. He gets up and put on his pants as he went out to look for her with his phone in hand.</p><p>There she was by the counter table transferring a fried egg from the pan she was holding to the plate on the counter table.</p><p>“Good morning, love.” She smiles at him and accidentally touching her free hand against the hot pan. She curses and he ran towards her with his eyes wide.</p><p>“Are you alright?” He asks frantically as he grabs the hand that got burned and places it under running water from the faucet. The hot pan placed back on the stove by Raven as Damian did his thing.</p><p>“Damian, it barely touched the pan!” She laughs.</p><p>“Honestly, how can you be this careless!” He says, his eyebrows almost meeting. “Damian, I can heal myself.” And he froze, he had forgotten for a moment that she could. The two had lived an almost normal life within these walls that both forget that they were not normal people at times. And this was one of those times that Damian had forgotten. Damian shakes his head and mutters.</p><p>“Even so! How can you be careless!” She just smiles at him lovingly. She knew that he was just worried for her own good. Damian sighs realizing how childish he might have come off as. He turns the faucet off and looks at her.</p><p>“I’m glad you can heal yourself, I’m sorry I overreacted.” And he observes her loving gaze and the soft smile on her pinkish lips, her neck filled with red spots, he couldn’t help but smile. She had equally done the same damage on him. And he felt that the Raven that stood before him was radiating happiness that was incomparable to the past. He had noted that a couple months after Raven left the Titans; she was happier and more alive; she was more outspoken too. He figured that it was because Trigon was finally defeated.</p><p>“No, you were not.” She comforts him and places a hand on his bare chest. And her cold fingers touching his chest startled him, he bit his lip to concentrate.</p><p>“You... you wanted to go to Gotham University.” Damian pulls away with a soft blush on his face and Raven couldn’t help but softly laugh at his reaction. He began busying himself by helping her set up for breakfast and he places his phone on the dining table beside the utensils.</p><p>“Yep!” Raven replies as she turns her back towards him and her loving smile became a frown. She looks at the hand that had touched the pan and it was just a really small burn. She uses her magic to heal it and proceeded to cook one more egg.</p><p>“So, what about your part-time job?” He inquires as he pours hot water inside two mugs. She froze at the inquiry, smiled to herself and flipped the egg on the pan.</p><p>“Well, of course I would like to continue working.” She hears him sigh as she turned off the heat on the stove.</p><p>“Can you at least take my father’s offer and work for Wayne Enterprises?” He glances at Raven who places the egg on the plate without an egg yet.</p><p>“No, Damian, we’ve talked about this.” She takes the plates to the dining table for six people. And with Damian bringing his coffee and Raven’s chamomile tea. And the two sat beside each other with Damian being on the head of the table and Raven on his right. Damian couldn’t help but sigh and takes a bite of the breakfast Raven had cooked.</p><p>“Mmm, your getting good at cooking. Being the mother hen for the Titans after you quit really helped.” Damian teases and she laughs. When Raven had quit being a Titan she did not immediately leave the team per se. She still stated at the tower but no longer actively participated in missions.  She cooked food for the members and stayed in the tower as back up and handled comms. The months spent cooking for the members helped start her home cooking career.</p><p>“What are you talking about! Staying here for six months-- that’s what really helped my cooking. And you’re clearly overexaggerating, that is just toasted bread with and egg on top and bacon on the sides!” When she had moved to Gotham she started learning to cook for herself and Damian, but mostly herself.</p><p>“But today, I was not able to make anything fancy because I feel rather exhausted.” She playfully glares at Damian who chokes at his coffee with the accusation.</p><p>“I don’t know what your talking about.” He avoids her gaze and tries to move the conversation along. “You know, I really did not like the thought of you being here, Gotham is not safe. And now your telling me you want to study here? You make me want to cry in frustration.” And Raven laughs at the thought of Damian crying.</p><p>“The great Damian, son of batman—grandson of the Demon’s head and current boy wonder. Cry due to frustration?” Raven glances at Damian, her eyes twinkling. “You must really love this woman that makes you want to cry in frustration.” Damian had opened his mouth to respond, but his phone rings. He bites his lip as he glances at her, who nods her head in approval for him to check his phone.</p><p>Damian reads it and sigh. “Yes, I love her so much.” He looks down at his phone again.</p><p>“And I know she understands, when I say that, I am really sorry, but Batman needs me.” She sighs and touches his hand and she nod with a faint smile.</p><p>“Go my love, he needs you.” And Damian looks at her not wanting to part, but begrudgingly stood up. He gazed down at the meal he couldn’t finish. “I am really sorry, babe.” And she smiled at the word babe. Damian had a tendency of using that when he felt really bad for leaving her or when his guilty or had done something wrong—well the list could go on. She wondered if he had finally noticed his little habit. But of course, he did not as his mind was wondering over other things.</p><p>“I will try and see you later.” He says as he kisses the top of her head. And he runs off to their bedroom to change and grab his things, not even hearing Raven’s absent reply of alright.</p><p>“I promise, I will try my best to see you later!” Damian shouted again as he ran off out the apartment.</p><p>And now the room felt awfully too big. She had gotten used to the silence—of being alone. She got very well acquainted with that after her father was defeated. But the painful thing about this situation for her was that, in these months, they had so many moments in which the couple were like playing house. But that was the thing, it felt like they were <em>playing </em>house, eventually both would wake up and realize that the game had ended for the day. And Raven felt it even more because after all the first two months in Gotham she did not do much but sit in silence most of the time.</p><p>She sat in silence as she looked at Damian’s barely eaten breakfast. She slowly became aware of the ticking of the clock, and she thought. Perhaps it wasn’t a good idea to go to Gotham. Perhaps it wasn’t the best choice to stay in this apartment, maybe she should have gone and lived at the Wayne Manor. After all, the reason she chose to move to Gotham was for Damian, she also wanted more reasons for him to visit his family. And what was the best reason to visit Gotham—his girlfriend and family in the same place.</p><p>“Maybe…I shouldn’t have left the team…” She couldn’t help but mutter as she picked up her fork to continue eating.</p><p>
  <em>“Where have you been?” They had asked Raven.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I…Trigon is defeated.” She replies, she looked defeated and exhausted.</em>
</p><p>Raven who recalled herself pass through a portal almost two years ago to announce that Trigon was defeated, paused from eating at the memory.</p><p><em>“Damian…” </em>She recalls the moment she had decided to tell Damian her plans of leaving the team.</p><p>
  <em>“What is it, love?” He asks her. She looked uncomfortable. It had been five days since she announced that Trigon was defeated and she had not been acting herself. He had been worried but knew not to push her, he knew that she would come to her when she was ready. And today was the day.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Damian,” She closes the distance between them, and stood a foot away from him. She grabs his hand and squeezes it. “I want to leave the team.”</em>
</p><p>She recalled that Damian had not really delved into the matter, and she was thankful for that. On that day, she had also decided and confided to Damian, that she would ward herself up in order to prevent feeling anyone else’s feeling. She whole-heartedly just wanted to feel for herself. And so, she did, for the last year and a half, she felt just for herself. And she tried to understand her feelings step-by-step. And it was rather overwhelming and yet underwhelming at the same time. She resumed eating and chewed on the food.</p><p>The crunch of the toast sounded so loud to her. She had also realized that she had lost her appetite, but acknowledges that she had to eat more. Thus, she forces to eat as much as she could. As she was almost nearing the end of her meal, Raven had finally decided she could not force herself to eat anymore.</p><p>She stood up and grabbed her and Damian’s barely eaten plate and was disheartened by the untouched meal going to waste. She realized that it did not have to go to waste, she placed it in a container for later. And after she washes the dirty dishes. When she was done washing, she noticed the cold tea in the mug from last night.</p><p>She reaches out to grab it, in order to dump its content down the drain and wash the mug. But when her fingers touched the mug, the chilliness of the porcelain enchanted her. She pulls its close to her chest as she holds the mug with both her hands and she looked down at the tea. She watches her reflection as she stood so very still. She couldn’t help but correlate herself and her relationships with the cold tea inside.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. A Normal Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She was unaware how long she stood there, just looking at the cold tea from last night. Raven couldn’t help but give a faint smile. She couldn’t even hear the ticking of the clock. There was an unexplainable knot in her heart, and she simply felt like time had stopped.</p><p>No. Not again, not this again. And she took in a deep breath, took a long stride and dumped the tea down the drain. She turns the faucet on, and for a moment she was just staring and focusing on the running water. She knew she had to wash the mug, but she couldn’t find the courage to. There was a hint of pain in her heart. And so, Raven thought, she should just take a shower for now and clean the mug later.</p><p>Raven goes to her bedroom and when she enters, she sees her bed first with nightstands on either side of it. The bedroom was fairly large because they preferred to have a minimalist look for their apartment. And because of that, there was a lot of space in their apartment and the motif being mostly white, gave the illusion of the space being bigger than it actually was. But they did not have the smallest apartment possible.</p><p>The apartment was located at the higher-end of Gotham, and by the standard of the community, it was smaller in comparison to apartments around the area. Damian had insisted and she couldn’t say no. But the fact was, she spends so much time alone in here.</p><p>She looks at her left where the bathroom was located and beside it was their walk-in closet’s sliding door left ajar.  And she could see his clothes from where she stood, and his black duffle bag on the floor. He had brought that bag filled with his clothes, so that when he comes over, he had clothes to use. Now the bag was empty because his clothes were already arranged inside the closet.</p><p>On the other side of the room was a white vanity table, opposite the bathroom and closet door. And to the right of the vanity, near the door entrance was a study table with a nice honey brown color. Damian usually occupied that table when he was on his laptop. Raven had sat on his chair a few times when she was alone and upset when he wasn’t with her.</p><p>She found that it was weird how they considered it as their apartment, when she knew that it was mostly hers—and yet somehow still theirs. A familiar emptiness settled in Raven’s chest.</p><p>Raven looks back to the bed which was unmade because Damian did not have the time to fix it. He loved everything neat and clean, and he normally made the bed when he was here, the knowledge brought a smile on her lips. He must have rushed to check where she was when he realized she was not beside him this morning. Just like last night. He must have been worried. Raven frowns as she looks at the unmade bed again, proof that he did not even have the time to fix it later on. He was out on a mission right now.</p><p>She then slowly made her way to her bathroom door. Initially, she had thought that when she left the team, things would be almost as if she was still a member. But reality hit harder than she expected. And the weight of everything was slowly pressing down on her. When she thought that—this was all—there were more to feel and comprehend. The situation would become more complicated than what she thought. But she couldn’t be part of the team anymore. She had made up her mind on that.</p><p>And absent-mindedly Raven took her clothes off and entered the shower. Her mind was lost in the infinite thoughts that haunted her daily life since her father’s absence. She turns the knob of her shower and as she felt the cold splatters of water hit her skin, Raven awoke from her reverie.</p><p>Raven finished her shower, and went to the closet, she wondered what she should wear. But she found herself touching Damian’s clothes. She picks up a white shirt of his and sniffs it. It smelled exactly like the laundry detergent she uses to clean both their clothes. And she sighs rather disappointed. She knew that it would smell like her clothes, after all the clothes here in the closet have been here long enough to be washed more than a dozen times and over.</p><p>What was she thinking, she couldn’t help but shake her head.</p><p>Raven eventually changed into a white shirt and black jeans. When she went to her vanity, she picked out a random cologne and spritz it on herself. And a familiar scent filled her nose. His cologne. She was startled and looked at herself on her vanity mirror. She had not noticed that the white shirt was Damian’s and her eyes started to water. She sat on the vanity chair with a thud, and she pulled the collar of her shirt to her nose. She studies herself in the mirror again, her hair wet and uncombed, wearing her boyfriend’s white shirt. She had unconsciously sprayed his cologne on her yet again, a habit she had been doing more frequently than you’d think. And Raven hugged herself for a moment, and proceeded to comb her hair.</p><p>Raven had started growing her hair out since she left the titans, and now it was almost half way against her back. As she combed her hair, she couldn’t help but marvel at the habits she had developed. When she finished, she stood up and check her clothes again, the shirt was too big against her frame, but she felt that she had to wear his shirt. And she decided to tuck it in to make it look a bit chic.</p><p>Raven had tried a few things after she left the team, and being a fashionista was one of them. She picked up a lot of hobbies over the year and a half. She dove into hobbies deep but got bored after a week or so, fashion being one of them. However, if she were to choose, she’d prefer fashion, make-up and art over the other hobbies she had tried out, but admittedly none of those held the charm it did when she started getting into it. Damian however, was surprisingly very good at art, although she believed there was nothing he could not do, and he enjoyed drawing her in the apartment every now and then.</p><p>A smile formed on her lips again as she recalled a moment where Damian had taken her out for fishing. She had picked up an interest in fishing a few weeks back and when Damian had asked her to go fishing, she had already started to lose interest in that hobby. Nonetheless, she enjoyed her time with him. But that was the only time they had gone fishing. Raven had fished more times with Jon and his family than Damian, and her smile became a frown yet again.</p><p>Raven looks down on her feet and realizes she still had not picked out her shoes. She goes back to her closet and zipped on her black lace up boots. Damian had pointed out how redundant it was to have laces on them, but have a zipper on the side to put it on. Raven responded that it was a fashion statement, and he mumbles that it was rather stupid.</p><p>Raven couldn’t help but chuckle at the sudden memory. When she went to the phase of loving fashion, she found out that she had a love for shoes after the ordeal. She walks back to the vanity table and put on her daily make-up. She put on a natural make-up style as it was what she preferred and it was an added bonus that Damian preferred it too.</p><p>After putting herself together, she finds her phone, keys and small bag with her wallet inside. As she was about to leave the apartment, she realized she had forgotten something and went back to the closet and grabbed a black thigh-high coat. And as she leaves her apartment, she wears her coat.</p><p>As Raven leaves her apartment building, she checks the clock on her phone it was 9:46am. It was way too early for her work, so she decided to take a quiet walk. Damian would not be happy knowing she was just walking around Gotham, but she can take care of herself. She had done this so many times. She decided to stop by a museum, and enjoyed the art there despite having seen them already.</p><p>Raven passes time by herself, as she tried to enjoy her own company. After staying in the museum for two hours, she went to have lunch at some café nearby and stayed there for over an hour. Then, after that she went to a park and sat there for almost two hours and fed some birds absent-mindedly. She felt her phone vibrate in her coat pocket, and she pulls out her phone and was surprise to see that she had five messages.</p><p>Three hours ago, Damian sent a text saying that he will leave his phone in Wayne Manor. An hour ago, Damian had sent her a text saying he had a surprise for her back at the apartment, and she smiled at that. The third was from Damian again, it simply said ‘I Love You’. And the smile on her lips twitched. And absent-mindedly she deleted his texts. The fourth text came from Jon, asking how she was and she sighs. The last message was from her employer.</p><p>Raven worked as a sitter; she was paid with a rather hefty sum maybe because she works around her neighborhood filled with rich socialites or heirs or millionaires or billionaires. Well, she was even living with a son of a rich man, who have preferred she did not work.</p><p>The message starts off with Mrs. McCoy apologizing, she tells Raven that plans had changed and that instead of Raven coming over at 5 o’clock tonight, she need her around 3 this afternoon, if possible and that she was deeply sorry for the inconvenience.</p><p>This was the most recent message, the one that she had noticed. She sees that her phone’s clock indicated that it was almost 2:30pm and she still had time to go to where Mrs. McCoy’s residence and she could take her time and walk there. She replied to Mrs. McCoy and tells her that it was not a problem at all and that she was free the entire day so she should not worry about any inconvenience. And Raven then decided to reply to Jon saying: <em>Damian is out, I hope his safe.</em></p><p>As she stood up, she received a message from Mrs. McCoy. <em>Thanks a lot Raven, we will see you at around 3pm. </em>And she was about to reply but she receives a notification—Jon had replied: <em>We can meet up if you’d like.</em></p><p>And she froze at the reply, should she meet Jon? Raven bites her lip and decided to tell him that she will keep the offer in mind. And she tries to finish her reply to Mrs. McCoy. Her phone rings and vibrate as she types to Mrs. McCoy that she was on her way. <em>Alright</em>, Jon had replied. She finishes her reply to her employer and started walking to the McCoy’s residence.</p><p>As she walked there, she thought of Jon’s offer, she had not seen him in so long. Maybe she should take the offer. Afterall, she had lived with the Kent’s for a few months after adventuring with Constantine after she left the Titan Tower. She had gone through a lot in a year and a half, but right now she had to focus on work not her private life.</p><p>She arrived at the McCoy’s residence, and the door to their penthouse opens showing the eldest daughter, Catherine McCoy. She had wavy blonde hair with a black headband and light blue eyes. She was fourteen years old; she was in a black and white school uniform.</p><p>“Hello Raven, glad you made it.” She says a friendly smile on her lips. And as she entered the threshold, she sees Mrs. McCoy enter through an archway that lead to the bedrooms. Raven takes off her coat.</p><p>The McCoy’s was a family of millionaires who owned a wine business for generations and have one of the best wines in the market. Mr. Gregory McCoy and Mrs. Anastasia McCoy were married for over twenty years; they were arranged to be married at twenty-four and twenty respectively. Their marriage worked due to equal respect they had for one another. Mr. Gregory was a tall man with a lean body he had black hair and grey eyes, Mrs. Anastasia had black hair too but with light blue eyes who had a fragile feminine figure. The couple were blessed with two children.</p><p>“Raven, great your already here!” Mrs. Anastasia said when she noticed that Raven was finally here. She checks her wrist watch. “A little early than discussed, but that is what I like about you!” Raven smiles at her.</p><p>“Your flattering me, Mrs. Anastasia.” To whom giggles at what Raven had said. Mrs. Anastasia was wearing a black business dress with a chain of chunky diamonds around her neck and a matching pair of stud earrings.</p><p>“Arthur! Raven is here!” Both Mrs. Anastasia and Catherine yell. Although to Raven it was a graceful yell, only something the classy could pull off, she was sure. Catherine had gone back to the coffee table and sat on the floor to continue her homework. She was facing her family pool that was separated from her by distance and a glass wall with glass doors.</p><p>Arthur McCoy, the reason why she had gotten this job. Arthur had come from where Mrs. Anastasia had come from. He wore black slacks, a pair of black dress shoes and a checkered vest over his white shirt. Raven guessed that he was in his bedroom prior to being called out. Arthur was a twelve-year-old boy who had black hair and grey-blue eyes. And he reminded her of Damian, but with a different eye color.</p><p>“Greetings, Raven!” He said, and she smiled at him, even the way he greeted her was reminiscence to how Damian would talk before. The McCoy’s were the first family she ever worked with as a sitter. She was certain that Damian had helped in getting the job. But at one-point Raven had a slightly busy schedule and could not find time to put the McCoy’s in. And the McCoy’s exclusively got Raven to work for them. They gave Raven an offer she could not refuse.</p><p>Still, one would wonder why a rich family needed a relatively normal sitter. Well, Arthur was a handful but not as bad as Damian was at that age. The children grew fond of Raven as they connected to her as though they were not an affluent family in Gotham. And the parents noticed their children’s temperament became calmer since Raven’s arrival, despite her working for less than three months for them.</p><p>How could Raven be fazed by their riches when she was dating Damian Wayne? If they only knew.</p><p>The heavy empathic shield she had was still active, but she knew Damian, and Arthur was a very milder version of Damian, which gave her a head start on how to deal with Arthur. And she admitted that she has a soft spot for Arthur because she couldn’t help but see her boyfriend in him. A fact she had confessed once, to which Arthur did not take well.</p><p>“Do you have specific instructions, Mrs. Anastasia?” Raven asks. There were times that Mrs. Anastasia would ask specific tasks to be done for her children.</p><p>“All we need is for you to foresee that both children do their homework.” Mr. McCoy had replied for his wife, he had come from the opposite archway, where the kitchen, dining table and fun room were located. He wore a black business suit.</p><p>“And after, you may spend your time as you wish.” Mrs. Anastasia had added as she approached her husband and fixed his tie.</p><p>“Raven, do you think we can watch a movie?” Catherine had asked from where she was.</p><p>“You, young lady should be grounded from what you did!” Mr. McCoy yelled; Raven was startled by this. She just stares at Catherine quietly.</p><p>“Daddy, she totally deserved it!” She replied crossing her arms. Raven looks at Arthur who gave a shrug and said rather indifferently, that Catherine had attacked a fellow classmate.</p><p>“That is not the type of behavior your mother and I approve of!” Mr. Gregory says, and Raven noted the eyeroll from Catherine.</p><p>“Honey, our children are good children. This is the first time she has caused a scene.” Mrs. Anastasia says and Mr. Gregory sighs mumbling that they should not be enabling their children’s behavior. Raven observed the pair and she could not help but admire how these two were a couple brought by an arranged marriage and yet act with such care and respect for one another, dare she say that they even love one another?</p><p>“We will discuss about this later.” Mrs. Anastasia looks at her wrist watch. “We need to go; we cannot afford to be late.” Mr. Gregory nods and the couple bid their children and Raven goodbye.</p><p>“Just enjoy the day, Raven.” Mrs. Anastasia had texted Raven after they had left and she replies politely.</p><p>“So, Catherine, will you tell me why you did what you did?” Raven asks as she approached Catherine, Arthur was sitting on the couch on his tablet at this point. Catherine refuses to respond and Raven did not force her to.</p><p>“Arthur, you should be doing your homework.” Raven says but he just glances at her.</p><p>“Can’t I do that later? Can we just sit here in silence?” Arthur pouts, and Raven just sighs while Catherine looks at her brother with a smile on her lips.</p><p>“Alright. For an hour.” Raven conceded, and she sat on a free couch. Raven was sitting on a couch behind Catherine and Arthur was laying on the couch on her sister’s left side, but he was facing Raven. Raven had taken out her phone and decided to send a text message to Jon.</p><p><em>Hey, Jon. </em>Raven leaned her head on the couch and looked at the ceiling until she felt her phone vibrate and hear it ring. She sat properly on the couch as she looks down on her phone. Arthur had been quietly observing Raven and Catherine was glancing at her brother every now and then.</p><p>Jon: <em>Is anything wrong?</em></p><p>Raven: <em>No. Nothing at all.</em></p><p>Jon: <em>Okay.</em></p><p>Raven couldn’t help but frown with Jon’s reply to which Arthur couldn’t help but frown at Raven’s expression. Catherine on the other hand, noted that her brother’s crush on Raven was clear as day, and she felt bad for the poor man. Although she rather preferred her younger brother liking a woman like Raven, then some woman who only knew how to show way too much skin and flirting shamelessly, or was after their families’ riches. But then again, Arthur liking Raven was not that surprising, Raven just seemed like someone up his alley. She also thought that Arthur liking their sitter was a pretty normal thing of him to do, and perhaps a rite of passage for him.</p><p>Raven: <em>I know you can’t tell me anything. But will Damian be long?</em></p><p>Jon: <em>I’m sorry, I actually don’t know.</em></p><p>And Raven let out a long sigh. As a Teen Titan member there were information she was allowed to know, but there was even more information she could not know because of her status as a Teen Titan member. But when she left, she was left in the dark with everything. She understood why it is like that, and she did not want Damian or anyone else she knew to get in trouble because they were breaking rules. Even so, being in the dark sucked.</p><p>But since Jon replied the way he did, the mission Damian was on must be strictly for Batman.</p><p>“Are you texting your boyfriend?” Arthur asks not standing the frown on Raven’s face, although he sounded annoyed when he said boyfriend. Catherine smiles as she does her work knowing that her brother was jealous. How adorable. Raven blinks startled by the question then scrunches up her face.</p><p>“No, no, no, no, no! Of course not!” Raven sounded like she was reciting a mantra, and Arthur couldn’t help but scrunch up his face.</p><p>“You seem to have poor relations with your boyfriend.” He points out bitterly, and Catherine silently held her breath as she stopped writing and stared at her younger brother.</p><p>“No, no, no!” Raven says quickly standing up, her eyes widening. “This really is not my boyfriend!”</p><p>“Okay! Arthur, why don’t you do your homework!” Catherine cuts in before Arthur could respond to which he glares at his sister. “Your already homeschooled and your refusing to do homework?” She sternly adds.</p><p>“It’s exactly because I am homeschooled that I like to be lax!” Arthur got up from the couch.</p><p>“Oh. I wonder why your homeschooled.” Catherine mocks her brother.</p><p>“Catherine, hearing that from you…” Raven butts in gently trying to diffuse the tension between the siblings but was unable to finish what she wanted to convey. Catherine turns her head to look at Raven with furrowed brows, she understood what Raven was getting at.</p><p>“It’s not what you think Raven…” She starts and glances at Arthur. “She insulted Arthur.” She sighs as she looks down at Arthur’s shoes. Raven felt guilty accusing her like that, she stood up and knelled by Catherine’s side. Arthur was surprised by his sister’s revelation.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I know you wouldn’t do something like that without reason.” She hugs Catherine who hugs her back.</p><p>“You…you did not have to Cath.” Arthur whispers. Catherine turns her head to look at her brother with an of-course-I-have-to expression.</p><p>“Let’s finish all your homework now, so we can do whatever you kids want.” Raven then says, as she pulls away from Catherine who nods.</p><p>“Alright.” Arthur says. “But I’m not a kid.” Catherine rolls her eyes at her brother too tired to even respond to what he has said. Arthur then goes to his bedroom.</p><p>“I will check your pantry and fridge and see what we have to work with if you guys want to cook something.” Raven puts her phone beside Catherine’s papers and leave for the kitchen. When Raven was in the kitchen it rings and vibrates, a message from Jon, saying that he is always there for her. Catherine had accidentally read the message and she furrowed her brows.</p><p>“Well, I don’t know what I was thinking, you people are rich! Of course, your pantry will be complete, we can literally make anything.” Raven said as she came back, she noted that Arthur had left. He preferred doing his homework alone in his room. Another thing she liked about the family is how they don’t act snobby at all.</p><p>“So, Raven…” Catherine says as Raven went back to her seat. Raven looks at Catherine waiting for her to continue. “You know what, never mind.” Catherine nervously laughs.</p><p>And then the two sat there in silence. Catherine doing her homework and Raven just thinking. Sometimes Raven wonders what her job really is. She even feels like she is not doing what a sitter should do. It was like she was stealing from the McCoy’s. The blurriness of her jobs purpose makes her think that Damian must have paid these people for her to work for them and that his actually paying her. It was something he would probably do.</p><p>Although Raven admits, that silence with other people in the room was better than her in the apartment all alone. Still, the best way to describe her work for the McCoy’s was literally ‘she’s paid to hang out with the kids’. Well, its unconventional, but Raven supposed it was just something rich people do.</p><p>Raven would glance over Catherine’s work and would check up on Arthur every now and then. The two kids preferred doing their things on their own. And they were rather smart for their ages, even more so for Arthur. When she found out that Arthur was a genius, she felt a chill run down her spine. By no means was he smarter than any bat kids, but the fact that he was genius put the cherry on top on how Arthur was similar to Damian.</p><p>It was beyond creepy how Arthur was like Damian for Raven. She even wanted to stop working for the McCoy’s because of the parallels between her boyfriend and a kid she is paid to be around with. But the truth was there was guilt there too, behind her desire to leave Arthur—the McCoy’s.</p><p>Raven had recalled how after her two months of mopping around in silence, she decided to get a job. And boy was it a mess. She at first worked as a barista at a cafe, but then she noticed how she still had way too much free-time, and then she started working two more jobs. A waitress at a fancy restaurant and a cashier at a diner. Safe to say, she did not get to keep any of those jobs.</p><p>Damian was not pleased knowing she got a job. And knowing that, when she got her other two jobs, he was very furious. To be fair she had kept the two extra jobs a secret for almost two weeks. When she had mentioned getting a job, he was not the most supportive because it was Gotham, and that she had no plans to work for his father—where it was relatively safer. But he gave in to Raven and then she hid the fact that she works two more jobs—he would not have known she had the other two jobs had she not arrived late, that one night. How was she suppose to know that he’d be back, she had not seen him for three days!</p><p>But after two weeks in, working three jobs, she could not juggle everything anymore and got herself fired or she quitted from the job. And somehow, she got to work with the McCoy family.</p><p>“Raven, I’m done.” Raven thought she heard Damian’s voice but when she turned it was Arthur. Her face had lit up thinking it was Damian but quickly disappeared as her eyes focused on Arthur. Arthur as perceptive as he is, noticed her reaction, and he could not help but feel hurt. Raven had mentioned absent-mindedly or in passing how Arthur reminded her of her boyfriend, or memories she had of her boyfriend, but she failed to mention his name to them. And Arthur knew, that Raven had mistaken him for her mysterious boyfriend at that very moment.</p><p>“We just have to wait for Catherine then.” Raven faintly smiles.</p><p>“Yeah.” He replies, Raven not catching the sad tone in his voice and he turns to go back to his bedroom. Raven figured that he had to get something from his room, and she went to where Catherine was and noticed her phone, completely forgetting she had left it there. She picks it up and sees Jon’s text, she replied to it with a thanks.</p><p>The three were at the living room now with a similar sitting arrangement when they had gathered there previously. But this time around Arthur was facing their family pool outside on his tablet. Eventually Catherine finishes at almost five in the afternoon.</p><p>“Finally.” Arthur complains to which Catherine glares at him in response.</p><p>“So, Catherine, I have been wondering. Did you receive punishment?” Raven inquires, and Catherine stands up to stretch. She frowns as she looks at Raven and sighs.</p><p>“Yep. I’m suspended for two weeks.” She shrugs like it was nothing. Raven at that moment thought that she could never understand the minds of rich folks.</p><p>“Oh, yes which reminds me. I might stop working for you guys.” Raven had suddenly said, and Catherine who was collecting her papers, had dropped them back on the table. Arthur turned his head at Raven that they heard his neck crack in the silence between the three people in the fairly large room.</p><p>Arthur could not even be embarrassed by his neck cracking. And Catherine did not bother with some of her papers that had slid off the coffee table. Both asking and overlapping with one another as they ask Raven questions of whys, what, and when.</p><p>“Okay. Okay, calm down.” Raven put her hands up and gestured for them to slow down. “Do you recall me mentioning going to school?” The McCoy kids both nods quickly.</p><p>“Well, I’m thinking I would have to quit this job if we can’t make it work somehow—”</p><p>“We can make it work!” The two children cut Raven off with urgency.</p><p>“We can arrange for it!” Arthur insists. “You already have a pretty unconventional work agreement with my family.” To which Catherine agrees.</p><p>“Well, I would have to discuss the details with your parents—”</p><p>“We will talk to them!” Arthur cuts Raven off again, and Raven just smiles in response. He could be very stubborn.</p><p>“We will handle it. You do plan to go to Gotham University right?” Catherine chimes in.</p><p>“Yes, I am. I have talked about it with my boyfriend.” Raven replies and Arthur hid an eyeroll from Raven.</p><p>“Then we can see you still. We will arrange something.” Catherine says firmly and sighs as she starts cleaning up her stuff. Raven wondered if Damian had actually paid the McCoy family to have her work for them. Why else would they go to so much lengths to keep her? Raven was very certain her job was to hang out with these smart kids. It really just doesn’t add up for her why she was needed here.</p><p>Raven conceded but couldn’t help but let out a sigh. Her terms for her job was very unconventional. But what really mattered to Raven is that she gets to get out of the apartment.  And it even comforted her that the McCoy’s get the option to call her anytime of the day and randomly call her to do something. The McCoy’s do not randomly call Raven in though, they would set up a schedule for the week and if plans change, they notify Raven a day before the prior appointment. Nonetheless she enjoyed doing anything she could to keep herself busy.</p><p>And the night passes by rather uneventful. The three were huddled up on the couch as they watched a movie. Raven receives a text from Mr. McCoy telling her that she may leave if the children were done with their homework. And so Raven with a heavy heart decided to go after the movie.</p><p>They said their farewells for the night. Raven puts on her coat, and places her phone on her coat pocket. Once the door closed behind her, the smile and comfort that Arthur and Catherine brought to her for the day disappeared.</p><p>Raven decided to walk back to her apartment. She felt like the walk going back to her apartment was long and her feet felt heavy. When she arrived in front of her door, there was some hesitance in entering. She reflected on her day, and aside from the company of Arthur and Catherine, and especially Damian, she knew her day was and felt rather meaningless.</p><p>Raven’s hesitance in entering made her turn her back on the door and she leaned against it. She closes her eyes and she started thinking of scenes of what would happen when she opens the door. It was a little over 6 o’clock. It was not that dark out yet. Not dark yet, that worried Raven. What if when she opened it, he wasn’t there? But he had said there was a surprise, perhaps it was him with something grand for her.</p><p>However, there was a feeling that settled down her stomach. And a familiarity that blanketed her thoughts. She knew. She knew when she opened the door, what would await her. And so, she did not see the point of dragging this out for long. Raven braved herself to open the door.</p><p>She opens the door slowly, her head casted down. And she knew that the contrast of the hallway light and the lack of light in her living room told her that she was right. She looks up and was welcomed by darkness, gloom and silence.</p><p>He was not here.</p><p>And Raven closed her eyes. She knew at that moment that she was in denial. She was still hoping during the duration of the day, that Damian Wayne would keep his word, that he would be here. And Raven couldn’t help but press her lips together. She closes and locks the door behind her. And she walks towards her bedroom to open a crack on the door to check if the lights were on, in hopes that maybe he was here. But he was not, she turns her head and happens to glance at the counter, she notices that there was a piece of paper.</p><p>She approaches the counter and notices that it was a card; in the front it said <em>Raven</em>, in Damian’s perfect handwriting<em>. </em>Raven picks the card up and opens it to read what was written within.</p><p>
  <em>I am so sorry I could not keep my word, my love.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But with Alfred’s help, I am leaving Titus with you, to keep you company.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I really am sorry, Babe.</em>
</p><p>Babe. That word, Raven sighs loudly. He must feel really bad, that fool. She shakes her head a vaguely sad smile on her lips.</p><p><em>We will see each other soon. </em>Raven could not help but inhale a sharp breath from reading that line. Another lie she was sure. She closes her eyes as a tear fall from her eye. Maybe she should have never left the team. She wipes her tear and looks for Titus in the room, she did not spot him. But she then noticed that there was dog food and water in the room, which she had not noticed when she arrived.</p><p>She decides to check her bedroom. When she opened her door widely, she came across Titus who seemed like he was about to leave her bedroom.</p><p>“There you are, Titus.” Raven knelt down and Titus greets her by rubbing his face against her neck, she giggles. “Have you eaten yet? I think Alfred already prepared your food for you beforehand.” And Titus licks her face, and she felt better.</p><p>“Let me shower, and we can hang out, alright?” Raven pats his head as she stood up and he barks in response.</p><p>When she steps out of the shower, she was surprised to see Titus right outside her bathroom door.</p><p>“Don’t tell me Damian told you to keep and eye on me.” Raven teases as she slimly evaded stepping on him and walks to her closet. Titus just sat there and stare at her quietly. “I will take that as a yes.”</p><p>Raven changes into her silk sleepwear. And she and Titus went out to watch a movie together on the television. She had taken the leftovers from this morning to eat for dinner while watching. Titus was on the couch his head on her lap, and she absentmindedly stroke him. She tried to focus on the movie, but she was rather upset, but she was glad Titus was here. The night could be worse without him.</p><p>“Alright. I am sleepy now. Let’s go to sleep, Titus.” Raven stands up and walks to the sink to was the container. And she was shocked to see the mug from last night. She had completely forgotten. This was why she felt like she had forgotten something when she was about to leave, it was not the coat that she had forgotten. She stood there a bit too long that Titus started barking from where he was. Raven snaps out and glances of Titus he was beside the couch facing her. She smiled at the dog reminding her of his owner.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” She apologizes as with an empty smile on her lips. She washed everything including the mug she failed to clean since last night.</p><p>“Let’s go to bed, Titus.” Raven says as she walks pass her bedroom doorsill. She turns to look at Titus, but found that he had went back up on the couch and was laying there, his head facing the main door. Damian taught Titus well.</p><p>“Alright. You stay on the couch then. But I will leave the door slightly open for you.” Raven tells Titus who just stares at her and then glances at the front door.</p><p>Raven walks to her bed and laid down under the covers. Her phone was right beside her on the nightstand. It took Raven an hour to sleep as her thoughts plagued her in the dark, but eventually she did fall asleep. And her eyes suddenly open wide with fear after four hours of sleep.</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. A Normal Day: Day 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>And her eyes suddenly opened wide with fear after four hours of sleep.</p><p>Raven sat up from her bed. She could not breath, she was shaking and she unconsciously reached out to the other side of the bed. But when her fingers touched the empty space-- the fear disappeared for a moment as her heart sank to her stomach, and she whipped her head to the vacant spot.</p><p>And she bursts into tears, he was not here.</p><p>She had forgotten she was sleeping on his side of the bed to bring her comfort tonight. How many times had she woken up like this and searched for him—only to find an empty spot? She knew it was frequent enough. And as oddly as the thought was comforting-- it was much more painful. He was never there when she was in this state.</p><p>Raven brings her shaking hands to her face, and wept into her own hands. Whenever Damian was here, she would sleep peacefully. He’d hold her not knowing the meaning of her need of knowing that he was there. But then she recalled the times where he would be gone in the middle of the night too. And when his presence is not close to Raven, she wakes up due to the nightmares—and he, Damian would not be there to comfort her. And she was used to it. She had become so keenly aware of his absence.</p><p>Life and relationships were not perfect. There were compromises needed in both, and so she never asked him to stay. How could she-- when she knew how important being a hero was to her lover. She also never want to make him chose between her and his hero identity. And even though she knew relationships needed compromises, that was a line she was not willing to cross.</p><p>Raven tries to calm herself and lessened her shaking and controlled her fear. She takes her phone to check the time. But as her fingers barely touched her phone, a sudden magical surge came from her hand to her phone, which breaks the gadget.</p><p> A purple like fog was wrapped around her hand, and she stares at the phone that was broken for a moment. She lifts the other hand that was on the bed to find that both hands were emitting the same faint dark glow. She found that she was starting to shake and freak out again.</p><p>Again. How many times had she broken her phone because of her unchecked magic in moments like this? Raven places her forehead on her knees as she just allowed herself to feel it. Feel everything. She knew she would feel better if she just let herself cry and feel it. And she wept, the magic wrapped around her hands dissipating as she wept.</p><p>Raven was so focused on feeling everything, that she did not heard her bedroom door creak. And she felt something nuzzle her leg, she glances to find Titus’ snout and then cheek rubbing on her leg. And it comforted her greatly. The sadness and fear had suddenly subsided.</p><p>“Hey, Titus.” She greets him with a sniff. Titus stares at her intently. She smiles at him and he gets on the bed in which Raven moved more to the center to give him space.</p><p>“You’re going to sleep with me tonight?” She asked as she pats his head. “Imagine Damian’s horror if he finds out I’m sharing my bed with another male.” She forced a chuckle as Titus adjusted to find his sleeping position. And when Titus settled down, she placed her head on Damian’s pillow and cuddled Titus tightly. Titus snout nuzzling her neck.</p><p>When tried to relax herself to force herself to fall asleep, all she could think of was the fear when she awoke. Images flash under her closed eyelids and she stifled a cry. And she silently cried herself as Titus try and comfort her. Despite being in tears, she reminded herself that she had to contact the McCoy’s and tell her that her phone had broken.</p><p>When she woke up a few hours later it was still dark out. Raven reached out to ger phone and was confused when her fingers felt something morphed. She glances over her phone and her eyes widened.</p><p>That was right, she had broken her phone again a few hours ago. With a sigh she goes to the bathroom, feeling her eyes stinging—she had cried herself to sleep after all. She tried to be careful as to not wake Titus.</p><p>When she entered the bathroom and looked at the mirror in front of the sink. She couldn’t help but shake her head at her puffy eyes. She takes a towel and wets it as she went back to her bed and let it rest against her eyes for a good 20 minutes as she allowed herself to fall into the pits of her thoughts.</p><p>Raven had accidentally dozed off and when she woke, she recalled that she had to tell the McCoy’s of her broken phone. She goes to Damian’s desk and opened a drawer where she stored her laptop. And sits on his chair and placed her laptop on his table. She puts her feet on the chair as she thought of Damian who sat here frequently. She then chats the family in a group chat that Catherine made composing Raven, Arthur and Catherine. Arthur replied instantly.</p><p>Arthur: <em>Again?</em></p><p>Raven: <em>Haha, just careless. Arthur you should sleep. </em></p><p>Raven glances at her laptop’s clock. And adds that it was still 4:30 in the morning.</p><p>Arthur: <em>You should go back to sleep too.</em></p><p>Arthur then goes offline, and Raven couldn’t help but shake her head. She wasn’t even able to scold him. She sends a chat message to Mr. and Mrs. McCoy’s.</p><p>She did not want to sleep anymore.</p><p>Raven glances at Titus who was sleeping on the bed, a faint smile on her lips. She then unconsciously opened the pictures folder in her laptop and her cursor was on top of a folder named <em>“Teen Titans”. </em>Raven could not find herself to open the pictures. Instead she heard a ping. She looks at her notifications and it says that she got a message from Jon.</p><p>Jon: <em>Hey, why are you awake?</em></p><p>Raven: <em>I couldn’t go back to sleep. </em>The reply was not a lie she thought quietly.</p><p>Jon: <em>I see.</em></p><p>Raven: <em>Yep. Why are you awake?</em></p><p>Jon: <em>I couldn’t go to sleep too.</em></p><p>There was no reply between the two for five minutes and Raven just kept staring at Jon’s name.</p><p>Jon: <em>Is it alright if we keep each other company then? </em></p><p>Raven stared at his chat for a while before deciding to reply.</p><p>Raven: <em>I’d like that. </em></p><p>And they talked about their everyday lives. Jon not mentioning even once about missions but talked about how other members were doing. She tells Jon that she thinks Damian might be gone for a while and how she hopes he is safe. He responds by apologizing and not being able to reassure her of his safety since even he did not know what Damian was up to.</p><p>Jon mentions that he would be in Metropolis for a few days and that he will leave for Metropolis later that afternoon. If Raven ever wants to hang out, he was always available as his visit to Metropolis is mostly for leisure. She thanks him for his offer and tells him that she would get back on him on that. She had broken her phone and she could use company buying a new one. But she was not entirely sure if she was available in the coming days so first, she had to check her schedule.</p><p>Jon: <em>No pressure.</em></p><p>Raven couldn’t help but blink at the simple reply. Jon had told Raven that so many times thorough out the years. And for some odd reason, it has come to a point wherein it was comforting. Such a simple word had become something that she ended up looking forward to—that she looked forward to hearing from Jon, whenever she was upset.</p><p>And she felt the guilt wash over her. As simple as his gesture was—she felt guilty.</p><p>Raven: <em>Well, I will leave a message if I can confirm or not. I have to go, thank you Jon.</em></p><p>Raven waits for his simple reply, which consisted of a thank you and a you’re welcome and left her laptop.</p><p>Raven absentmindedly walked out to the open space outside her room, and stopped in her tracks to see that the sun was already out and about. She glances at the wall clock to see that it was almost 7am; she was surprised to know that she had talked to Jon for so long. And in that duration, she did not even receive a single message from Damian.</p><p>Azar-- exactly what was Batman making him do.</p><p>Raven was walking barefoot to the kitchen area and when she got there and looked for cereal, she realized how cold the floor was against her feet. And it was oddly comforting—it was oddly distracting.</p><p>She prepares her cereal and goes to check on Titus’ food and water bowls, and decided she had to refill them after her meal. And as she ate, she looked out at Gotham.</p><p>How can a beautiful city, under this heartwarming light be filled with so much sinister villains? And the extinguisher of that fire—hold its own kind of trauma. Raven stir her cereal as she thought of Damian and sighed.</p><p>She hears a low growl which pulls her back into reality, she stares at Titus with a faint smile.</p><p>“Titus, I’m sorry to have worried you.” She approaches him as he approaches her, she pats his head. “I will refill your bowls then.” And she goes to the cabinet under her sink to get his dog food and got a bottled water to put on Titus’ water bowl.</p><p>“There you go, let’s have breakfast together.” She hums as she sat on a single couch with her legs up on it, as she stares at Titus. The pair finished their meals and Titus approach Raven and hopped on top of her legs, and she laughs.</p><p>“Well, I was getting cold, I suppose.” She strokes Titus head that was on the couch’s arm. And then her thoughts were consumed of the possibility of Titus not being there the night prior. Of all the things that could have ended differently, of the promise that Damian broke yet again, of Titus being brought here, of him sleeping with her on the bed in the beginning and if he had not come in her bedroom when she awoke. And so much more.</p><p>It was odd, she couldn’t help but marvel, of how Titus had seen her in that state when Damian was not even aware of her struggles at night when he was not there. It should be very upsetting to her, and it was at some point. At least last night it was very upsetting, but right now—the thought felt rather empty.</p><p>It wasn’t like she didn’t care about it anymore—but right now as she thought of the dissatisfaction she had for his absences—Raven felt nothing. She felt so hollow after her nightmares.</p><p>“Titus, I have to shower,” She pats Titus’ leg and he jumps out of her lap and onto the floor.</p><p>When she walks into the bedroom, she checks her laptop for messages. Anastasia had sent Raven a message saying that Catherine had a ballet class and she would like Raven to accompany Catherine there. Catherine’s class was on 10 that very morning, and Raven glances at the time, it was still 7am so there was still time.</p><p>Raven also got a message from Catherine saying the same thing as Anastasia, that Catherine would like for Raven to be there with her in her class. And had suggested that they buy Raven a phone.</p><p>She replied to the pair that she would be there at the ballet studio as per usual by 10am. It wasn’t the first time she had to observe Catherine in her lessons and they normally just met at the venue. And she added to Catherine that she had already made plans to buy for a new phone, Raven hoped that her boyfriend would accompany her.</p><p>Catherine replied instantly and told her that she understood that Raven would want to buy with her boyfriend, and that they would see each other later that day. Raven turns around to leave her laptop again, she was supposed to shower now. But her eyes landed on the unmade bed, and she recalled her restless evening. She absentmindedly approached the bed, sat on the floor by Damian’s side of the bed, and laid her head. She could faintly smell him on the sheets.</p><p>She closes her eyes and she started crying. She felt like she was in such a predicament. She wanted him here but she couldn’t let him stay. She knew she loved him but she had become unhappy. She loves him and wants to stay because of that love—but she wondered if it is no longer enough. She chewed on her lower lip and got up as she wiped her tears. She was about to grab her bed covers but it was mostly on the other side of the bed. She thought of using her magic to make the bed, after all she had to see if she could control it now.</p><p>And to her surprise it was working now, she chuckles at herself. Of course, her magic would be fine now, she knew it would be like this. Maybe she always expected a different outcome after her small magical outbursts. She kind of hoped that when her dad died, he cursed her, it was what Raven thought she deserved.</p><p>With the bed made she walks into her bathroom to shower. Her thoughts still of her father as she stripped herself and placed her clothes on the hamper.</p><p>Her father. Everything began there—she should be thankful for him despite the troubles he caused. Afterall, she would not have met Damian without him. She turns the knob of her shower and water starts falling. And she stood there consumed by her thoughts again.</p><p>Trigon. An inter-dimensional demon—her father who was finally defeated a year and a half ago.  And when he was finally defeated—a few days after to be exact—she decided she did not want to be a part of the Teen Titans anymore. She also knew she did not want to become a part of the Justice league.</p><p>At that moment, she finally understood why other heroes choose to retire. Some would die as a hero and perhaps that was what Damian wanted for himself, but it wasn’t something she wanted. A younger her probably would have, but she was no longer the child trying to protect the world from her father.</p><p>She was different now. That little girl who had summoned her father curious of her origins, who had killed an entire planet and her mother because of her selfishness—was gone. The girl who was then taken by her father after wiping an entire planet, who had seen the atrocities her father had done and followed his wishes was gone too. And when that girl decided to do better for herself and to try to redeem what she had done—who had eventually become the prison of her horrid father—well even she disappeared too.</p><p>And when he was finally gone, she felt like she could breathe now. She did not have to look over her shoulder every step of the way. She wanted to reclaim her name ‘Raven’ for herself. She wanted her birthname to no longer be associated to the hero ‘Raven’, whom she was since she came to earth.</p><p>She wanted to become her own self. One that did not worry about her father and the world or even protecting people. And she must have appeared selfish when she told Damian that. But she recalled the relief she had when she had asked if he thought her selfish, and he simply shook his head no. That simple head shake felt so reassuring at that moment. And Raven began crying in the shower, her tears mixed in with the water.</p><p>She did not notice that she had covered her mouth with her fingers. And she did not realize how her silent tears became muffled cries. And when Raven realized that she was sobbing, she knew how unhappy she really was.</p><p>She had known, that everything had changed since then—since her father’s disappearance in her life. And everyday she found herself changing too-- with it. And right now—she finally felt the real intensity of the change in herself.</p><p>She forces herself to stop crying and finish her shower. Today was going to be a good day she tried to convince herself, and she repeats that as she does the motions to finish up showering. Damian would come any time soon and give her a big hug and apologize for leaving and they will be happy—she will be happy. Damian would shower her with butterfly kisses and—Raven froze as she stepped out of the shower with the thought of his kisses.</p><p>Guilt. That was what his kisses meant—another gesture of his guilt for leaving her. She furrows her brows, very certain that, that was not the case. But when had she associated those butterfly kisses; he gives her when he returns after a mission as—his guilt?</p><p>Raven places a hand on her forehead. She could remember his thumb caressing her check. The gesture with his calloused hands brought a smile on her lips—and then she frowned. The memory tainted in her mind as another gesture Damian gave her out of guilt for leaving her behind yet again.</p><p>She wraps a towel tightly around her as she felt her surroundings shrink. She tried to even out her breathing. She approaches her bathroom counter and stopped in front of the sink and looked at her reflection.</p><p>She looked at a pale woman with purple hair way pass her shoulders. She was hyperventilating with tears that refused to fall on her eyes. She felt disgusted at her own reflection, she closes her eyes tightly and the tears fall, as she inhales and exhale. When she opened her eyes again, the first thing she saw was her amethyst colored earring studs. And she froze.</p><p>She had completely forgotten about them.</p><p>Finally, she was able to control herself as her eyes focused on the earrings. She took a moment as her muscles relaxed and her breathing actually got better. She always wore them, and because she always did wear them, she forgets about their existence. Sometimes her hair covers the earrings so she doesn’t notice them too. She had never taken them off since Damian gave it to her when she arrived at Gotham.</p><p>They were a rather small pair of earrings; they were from Damian and his anxiousness over her safety in Gotham. It was small but it had state-of-the-art batman tech inside—it was simply a tracker. Damian promised her that he would never use the tracker unless it was absolutely necessary, to which she had just nodded as her response. And after he proceeded to explain how it works.</p><p>There were multiple ways of using the earrings. The earrings would be constantly tracking her, but she would not pop up on the GPS map that Damian had access to unless he specifically was looking for her because he would have to input some things to have her unhidden in the system. To ensure Raven, and to make her aware that he had unhidden her from the system, the earrings would turn red.</p><p>If a pair of the earrings would be separated from the other for a certain distance for a certain amount of time, the system would automatically unhide Raven and notify Damian of the change. If Raven breaks one of the earrings, it will alert Damian of where the earring was broken and the location would be flagged. The other earring will still show her location if it was not damaged. Raven breaking an earring is equivalent to an emergency—but in reality, to Damian it would mean an imminent life threat on Raven.</p><p>Raven touches the earrings longingly. Damian had given it to her for her safety, a memory that used to bring her happiness due to his endearing concern over her—felt bland in her mind. She glares at herself in the mirror—thinking long and hard.</p><p>When had these memories of happiness and love—become so gloomy and lonely? And her stare on her reflection wavers. She knew when. She had just avoided everything altogether-- in the hopes that if she chooses to forget about them, one day she will wake up feeling her old self. But perhaps it was time to transition through that—or at least go into it—and then transition out of it.</p><p>She smiles at herself, today will be a good day. She convinces herself again.</p><p>She steps out of her bathroom to see Titus on the bed, his eyes at her. She smiles and greets him.</p><p>“I have work today, and don’t know when I will be back. Should I leave you at a dog park or something?” Raven talks to Titus as she changes clothes. She puts on some lacy undergarments, at the back of her mind hoping Damian would arrive today. “I don’t think Damian would love it if I leave you somewhere with the commoners,” she playfully teases as she looks for some jeans. Titus of course doesn’t say anything, he was a rather quiet and well-behaved Great Dane. Finding a black ripped mom jean that she felt like wearing, she sighed.</p><p>Next was a top. As she focused on looking for a top she stopped talking to Titus. Her hand brushes off on some jackets, and she turned to look at this black jacket calling out to her. She takes it off from the hanger and she realized it was Damian’s black bomber jacket.</p><p>Oh yes, she felt like wearing this, but she still needed a top. And she recalled that she had gotten a black form fitting crop top with Damian’s robin logo on the center. She searches for the top and puts it on and Damian’s jacket. It was big on her, but it was his.</p><p>She walks to the vanity and reached out for his cologne. She stopped, her fingers an inch away from touching the cologne. This time, she actually noticed that she was about to grab his cologne. A small smile forms on her lips as she takes it and sprays some on herself. She sits down to comb her hair. And put on her make up.</p><p>“Titus, I think I will drop you off to the manor.” She says as she stops from placing on mascara to look at him. She raises a brow. Titus looked as though he was glaring at her.</p><p>“Well, you accompanied me yesterday, that is more than enough.” She tells him, thinking that Titus did not want to leave her because Damian asked him to look after his girlfriend. Titus looked about ready to pout, but walks to her. “I should contact Alfred and tell him that I will portal into the Wayne Manor to save some time,” and she continues to put her mascara. “I can play with you for a while.” And Titus barks in disagreement.</p><p>Raven smiles, “Alright, I will leave you here then.” and finishes up her make-up.</p><p>Raven goes back to the closet and put on her favorite black heeled boots. She put in some accessories, like a couple of silver rings on her fingers, a black strapped watch, a simple two-toned chained bracelet and a silver choker necklace.</p><p>She glances at her wrist watch and noticed that it was a little over nine now.</p><p>“Let me prepare all of your things then Titus, hopefully I can come home early.” Raven says as she leaves her bathroom door open and placed a stopper and as she walked out the bedroom, did the same thing. She glances at Titus bowls from her doorsill and decided to refill them. Afterwards she checked his dog litter that was another corner and cleaned it and placed it back.</p><p>“I think that should be everything.” She says as she glances at Titus who was now on the couch looking at her. Raven walks to the counter where she left her bag and keys last night, and went over her things inside. Seeing everything she needs is inside—minus a phone she went back into her room to tell Anastasia and Catherine that she was on her way to Catherine’s dance studio and apologized for the inconvenience again. She receives a reply from Anastasia who apologized for the last-minute request for Raven to join Catherine and for the next two days Raven should be free from their calling. And Raven tells her that it was something Anastasia shouldn’t worry about, she enjoyed accompanying her children.</p><p>With that all said and done, she turned her laptop off, and was ready to leave. She still had 45 minutes before ten. And Catherine’s dance studio wasn’t really that far—if she went by taxi, which she had to do if she wanted to arrive on time.</p><p>Before leaving the apartment she says her goodbyes to Titus and locked her door after.</p><p> </p><p>
  
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>ATHUOR’S NOTES:</p><p>Firstly, I have classes again so, I can’t update the way I planned (weekly),</p><p>It’s why this took so long.</p><p>And I have already set scenes and how this story goes on,</p><p>So you have to stay tuned!</p><p>Hope you all enjoy!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. A Normal Day: Day 2 part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Raven finally arrived outside the dance academy Catherine was attending. She climbed up the steps to enter the building. And once inside she slowly walked to the door to the dance room for Catherine’s ballet class. She was surprised to see that at the corner of the room was Arthur.</p><p>His arms were crossed over his chest, as he leaned against the wall as he was glaring at his feet. He wore a white button up shirt with black slacks. He looked as if he was forced to be there with his brows all furrowed. But a smile tugged at the tip of Raven’s lips, because to Raven, she saw Damian.</p><p>“Raven!” Catherine greeted, approaching Raven. Which snapped Arthur and Raven back to reality.</p><p>“I’m glad you haven’t started yet.” Raven says as she smiled politely at Catherine. Arthur makes his way to them, as the pair of ladies meet him half way.</p><p>“This one insisted on coming here.” Catherine teases, and Raven just tilts her head at<br/> Arthur, silently seeking for an answer.</p><p>“I just wanted to get out of the house.” He mumbles.</p><p>“Oh, so after this we have some place to go?” Raven inquires as this wasn’t discussed earlier.</p><p>“Well, if you’re not busy.” Arthur nervously mumbles as he rubs his forearm. For a second Raven’s polite smile faltered.</p><p>“I’m always free.” She whispered a little too softly. The pair of siblings wanted to ask where Raven’s boyfriend was and if the couple were alright. But they couldn’t impose, especially since Raven clearly did her best to keep her boyfriend’s identity a secret.</p><p>“Well, then let’s go out and explore Gotham.” Catherine says, and Raven nodded with a faint smile. Arthur and Raven walked to where Arthur was standing before Raven entered. And Catherine started her stretches as the session seems like it was about to start.</p><p>“Where are your bodyguards?” Raven inquired in a whisper as she sat crossed legged on the floor. “I hope you brought them.”</p><p>Arthur paused for a moment and sat beside Raven crossed legged.</p><p>“They are here.” He quietly replies and Raven looks around seeing no bodyguards at all.</p><p>“Good, because I wouldn’t want you guys to not bring them because of me.” She mumbles, squinting around and even outside the big window to see if there were any men in black suits.</p><p>“They are here, I—we, didn’t want to make you uncomfortable if they were really close to us.” And Raven nodded, she was after all a normal civilian citizen of Gotham to the McCoy’s.</p><p>Raven absent-mindedly was thinking that maybe she should try out ballet next-time. And she shook her head at the thought.</p><p>No more two-week hobbies, she scolds herself.</p><p>“I like your jacket.” Arthur whispers, and Raven looks at him with a faint longing smile.</p><p>“It’s my boyfriend’s.” Raven puts her hands inside the jacket’s front pockets. And Arthur immediately regrets commenting about the jacket. Raven looked lost in thought because of the jacket, and to Arthur it looked like she had a blissful expression on her face. He looks back at the ballerinas dancing.</p><p>His sister seemed very cold and serious as she did her movements gracefully. Maybe he should try hacking Raven’s phone and laptop to finally know who this mysterious boyfriend is. And this time it was his turn to shake his head.</p><p>Privacy.</p><p>He has to respect that. It was clear Raven wanted to keep her life private. But something was bothering him about Raven. He felt that spying on her would ensure him that nothing was wrong with Raven, but he couldn’t cross that line. He couldn’t betray her like that.</p><p>“I hope everything is alright, Raven.” He whispers his eyes still on the ballerinas. Raven turned to him, hearing what he had said. But him acting like he didn’t say anything just made her frown and then look back at Catherine.</p><p>Raven wondered if she looked unhappy about something. And she knew the answer to that question, but has it been outwardly showing nowadays? It seemed that everyone was so worried about here lately, but there was just one person she wished would notice. She felt a tinge of pain in her chest at the thought.</p><p>Two hours later, Catherine was done with ballet class. And while she was off to shower, some of her classmates flocked Raven and Arthur, well particularly Arthur. Raven made her way out of the circle and observed Arthur who was trying to be polite to the girls. He glanced at Raven, he wanted to make his way to her, but Catherine’s classmates were asking him questions.</p><p>“I didn’t expect to see you here, you never came here before.” One said and Arthur smiled thinly as he nodded, stealing glances at Raven. She notices Arthur making his way to her, a familiar grouchy expression on his face.</p><p>“It must have been awkward for you to be surrounded by strangers.” Arthur says trying to start a conversation with Raven who looked lonely.</p><p>“I didn’t know you were popular.” Raven remarked and Arthur shook his head.</p><p>“Tsk, even I was unaware.” He turns his head away from Raven to glare on the floor. Raven seems to be recalling Damian in Arthur a bit too frequently. She must really miss him.</p><p>“Well, Cath wants to go to a café and go to a park and act like normal citizens in Gotham.” Raven looks at Arthur with a raised eyebrow.</p><p>“What’s with the sudden interest?” She inquired and he shrugged.</p><p>“I suppose meeting you ignited an interest in how normal citizen’s in Gotham live.”</p><p>“Normal citizen…” Raven couldn’t help but mumble. Those words truly foreign to her.</p><p>“I just moved here a few months ago, I don’t think I’m the best chaperone.” Raven looks at Arthur in the eyes, he had a very interesting set of grey-blue eyes. But it wasn’t the green that she loves looking into.</p><p>“Well, she should finish showering soon.” Raven mumbles as she looks at the door waiting for the head of a familiar blonde. She felt her phone vibrate in her pockets and she just clutched it.</p><p>“Yeah.” He mumbles as they both look at the door waiting for Catherine to enter.</p><p>They waited for Catherine silently, both individuals lost in their own thoughts. And eventually Catherine entered the dance room. She was in casual wear, in light denim pants with a white plain crop top with a pink leather jacket. She had light brown boots with three-inch heels. She carried a pink duffel bag over her shoulder. Her blonde hair pulled back with a black headband. Seeing her looking so preppy with an expression that said ‘don’t touch me’, Raven couldn’t help but smile in amusement.</p><p>These two kids, somehow gave her something to look forward to. And again, there was a knot on Raven’s chest, as the thought crossed her mind.</p><p>“Raven, is everything okay?” Catherine called out to Raven, as she stood in front of Arthur and Raven. She had noticed Raven’s gaze turn dark when she was walking towards her brother and Raven. And it worried her. In fact, this was why Arthur and Catherine wanted to go out, they had noticed Raven’s gloomy state. They simply wanted to cheer her up. And it was Arthur who had actually opened up to Catherine about the matter first.</p><p>“Of course, everything is okay.” Raven said with a faint smile on her lips. It was actually a response she was quite used to answering with. Catherine and Arthur stare at one another quietly for a moment.</p><p>“Well, now to a café, Raven!” Catherine says cheerily as she hooked her right arm over Raven’s left arm. And Raven smiled, for a moment her thought had drifted to holding Damian in the exact same way. How long had it been since she had held his arm like this?</p><p>She realized how her mind had drifted and she shook her head with a smile, and reached out for Arthur with her free hand.</p><p>“Then why don’t we all hold hands and go?” Raven says teasingly as she held onto Arthur’s left hand.</p><p>“How childish!” Arthur quickly responded as his left hand twitched against Raven’s right hand but does not pull away. Catherine playfully rolls her eyes and she began to drag Raven out of the studio room.</p><p>“Let’s go walk there!” Catherine says and Raven’s first reaction was to look displeased. And before she could voice out her worries about their safety, Catherine quickly adds.</p><p>“The bodyguards will be following us from behind, don’t worry.” Raven could just sigh in response.</p><p>The café was a few blocks away, giving Catherine the time to talk about the most random things. And it was something Raven appreciated, it made her mind forget what she has been thinking and feeling. Arthur would just follow them quietly. Sometimes he would say a word or two, but his eyes seem to keep a steady watch on their surroundings.</p><p>When they arrived at the café, Catherine wanted to sit down on a table on the street, but Arthur strongly disagreed. And since Arthur was unwilling to sit outside, they took a seat inside the shop. While walking to the café, Raven had finally noticed their guards who were in civilian attire following them from behind at a safe distance.</p><p>The trio were waiting for their orders quietly on the café, and Raven’s eyes flickered to a couple from across the room. The bodyguards strategically took their seats, some were outside, others in a table almost near the trio and others by the general area.</p><p>“Raven.” Raven snapped out from her reverie and turned her head at Catherine who was frowning. Catherine followed Raven’s gaze as she said.</p><p>“I’ve been calling you for about the fifth time.” And when she saw what Raven was looking at, her eyes wavered. She looks back at Raven with a sad expression and with pressed lips.</p><p>“I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t impose, but is everything alright with you and your boyfriend?” She asks cautiously and Arthur turned to his sister who was beside him with a glare. They had discussed this before and said they wouldn’t impose, of course Catherine would give-in and be the first to back-track on their agreement.</p><p>Raven who was across from Arthur was surprised at the question and at that moment a waiter arrived with their order. The waiter set their drinks and slices of cake and other desserts down as the trio remained in silence. And it continued so, for a few minutes after the waiter left.</p><p>Raven rotate the metal straw around her drink as she allowed herself to think. Arthur nudges his sister by the leg, giving her another glare.</p><p>“We’re good, it’s just that his busy.” Raven mumbled her reply. And Arthur and Catherine looked at one another surprised at even getting a reply.</p><p>“Really?” Catherine says quietly. Raven gave a short nod as she tucked her hair behind her right ear as she looked away accidentally at the direction of the couple from before.</p><p>“Then why is it that you seem upset recently? And why does it seem whenever the word ‘boyfriend’ is mentioned you clearly look upset.” Arthur points out and Catherine kicked her brother’s foot from under the table. He doesn’t even look at Catherine, but kept his eyes on Raven, it was almost a glare in fact.</p><p>Raven turn her gaze back to her front and was surprised to see Arthur looking visibly upset.</p><p>“You seem to want him with you.” Arthur said the words she could never ask Damian. And her eyes twitched. The pair of siblings watched Raven move in slow motion in reaction to what Arthur said. The twitch in her eyes, how she closed them to hold back her tears, and how she pressed her lips together in desperation.</p><p>And when she opened her eyes again, Raven said, “Yes, I do want him with me, but I can’t ask something like that to the person I love. Especially when I know how important his work is to him.”</p><p>Arthur looked like he had something to say, but from under the table Catherine grabbed his hand tightly. Silently telling him not to say anything.</p><p>“When you two fall-in love with someone, the way I do, maybe you will understand me.” Raven smiled at them faintly. “There is no doubt, that I love him so, so much.” And there was that longingness on her face that the pair of siblings have seen quite often.</p><p>Arthur opens his mouth to which Catherine squeezes his hand tighter, but he ignores the pain she was inflicting on him.</p><p>“If you love him so much, then why are you so upset.” He stated so clearly, Catherine’s death grip on her brother loosened as she held her breath and observed Raven. Raven’s eyes had flickered and for a moment it seemed to have become unbelievably dark, but it was such a quick change that Catherine chalked it up as her imagination. But Arthur took note of that change.</p><p>“There is no doubt that I love my boyfriend. That has never changed in the span of years that we have been together.” Raven replied even clearer than Arthur’s statement. Her eyes were stern and unwavering, and Arthur wanted to press the matter even more, but Catherine slapped his hand from under the table.</p><p>“I’m so sorry, Raven. We are imposing way too much. We do not doubt your affections towards your boyfriend. We were just worried about you.” Catherine cuts in with a gentle voice and Raven’s violet eyes look at Catherine quietly. “We are not trying to butt into your relationship with your boyfriend. We were worried that he might have caused you some unhappiness, and it is clear he has not.” Catherine gave a thin smile towards Raven, her mind on high alert.</p><p>“He has never given me unhappiness.” Raven replied with a polite smile but her heart felt like it was being squeezed.</p><p>Arthur just gritted his teeth; his sister clearly gave him a warning. He sighed and apologized for his behavior and Raven mutters that he did not do anything wrong.</p><p>“I hope that you two won’t misunderstand my affections towards my boyfriend again.” Raven quietly added, the two McCoy siblings stared at each other before looking at Raven and giving a slow nod.</p><p>Catherine tried her best to lift up the mood and as they ate their food, it got better.</p><p>“Let’s have a walk on the park after.” Catherine suggested with a carefree smile and Raven couldn’t help but smile back at her.</p><p>“Yeah, that would be fun!” Raven says and Arthur nods as he chewed his cake.</p><p>And they continued on their day as if they were normal citizens. And as if Raven wasn’t even their chaperone. She enjoyed her day as they laughed and talked. It was also as if the three had not had a difficult conversation at the café.</p><p>They even made time to go to a museum for technology, and Arthur would look at each exhibit thoughtfully. When it was nearing four in the afternoon, Raven decided that it was time for the two to go home. And they begrudgingly agreed, but also begged Raven to send them back.</p><p>Raven laughs as she looks at the kids. “Of course, I will.”</p><p>Catherine and Arthur stared at one another and smiled. They were delighted that she agreed. And as they travelled back to the McCoy’s in their private car, Raven recalled the conversation they had in the café with a frown. She stares at Catherine and Arthur who stared back at Raven worriedly.</p><p>“I like to apologize about what happened at the café.” Raven says with etched eyebrows. The siblings stare at one another and Catherine shook her head.</p><p>“No, Raven, we are sorry for that. We were overstepping.” Catherine cuts in and this time Raven shook her head.</p><p>“It’s just that, I get protective over him.” She mumbles and then sighed. “I get put on edge whenever it is about him. I love him a lot, that has never changed. And you two questioning that fact—” Raven squeezed her eyes and sighed again, and she felt a hand over her right hand. She looks at her hand and she see Catherine’s left hand atop her right hand.</p><p>“We understand, Raven.” Catherine looks at Raven gently and she turns to her brother for a moment and returns her gaze at Raven. “We truly understand, you do not need to explain yourself. We are deeply sorry for questioning you like that.”</p><p>“We were out of line.” Arthur added and Raven looks at him. “If it isn’t clear, we are rather attached to you. And we just want you to be happy.”</p><p>Hearing that made Raven smile genuinely.  “I understand. Thank you for the concern, I really do appreciate it.”</p><p>“I think you should take a few days off; we’ve discussed it with our parents. They will formally inform you later this evening.” Arthur tells Raven and she nods in response.</p><p>The three looks at one another and somehow, they felt that their bond had just strengthened. Raven hoped that her relationship with these kids would not fade or be ruined. The car stopped at their designated parking spot.</p><p>“Well then, I will walk you two to the elevator, your body guards should accompany you to your apartment.” Raven says as she steps out of the car and the two agreed. Before they stepped inside the elevator Catherine gave Raven a hug.</p><p>“Thank you!” Catherine says and Raven squeezes her back tightly.</p><p>“No, thank you.” She replied and urged Arthur to join their hug. He reluctantly embraces Raven and Catherine.</p><p>“Really, thank you, you two.” She restated and after they let go of one another and they parted ways. Raven waited for the elevator to indicate their floor before she left the building.</p><p>She took her time to walk back to her apartment building. She needed the time to think. Her resolution had solidified even more. She knew she had to tell Damian and she felt even more ready to confront him over the matter.</p><p>She was certain now that she will do it.</p><p>Raven realized she was in front of her apartment door. She took out the key quickly in hopes Damian would be home by now. She had to tell him. And when she opened the door to be greeted by emptiness, she felt that she went ahead of herself.</p><p>She had forgotten that he was MIA due to a mission.</p><p>Her resolve went to the back of her mind as she took a step forward and sighed. She closed the door with a soft bang. Titus comes walking out of her bedroom, she smiles at him.</p><p>“Hey, there boy.” She says as she knelt down and ruffled his head. Raven sits on the floor and hugs him quietly and Titus whines to try and comfort her. But there were no tears in her eyes, she just looked tired.</p><p>When the room was filled with an orange hue, that was when Raven snapped out from her empty thoughts.</p><p>“He still isn’t home.” She couldn’t help but say as she stood up and patted Titus’ head.</p><p>She walks to Titus food and water bowls and refill it.</p><p>“Let’s watch another movie after I shower.” Raven says as she walks into her bedroom and hops into the shower not even closing the door of her bedroom.</p><p>It was about midnight when she finally felt like checking her laptop for messages. She had completely forgotten that she was suppose to wait for the McCoy’s confirmation of her time off in the coming days. And she did confirm that Anastasia had said that she can have the week off.</p><p>Raven thought that maybe Arthur and Catherine convinced their parents that she needed time off. Her mind has been elsewhere recently. She sent out a quick reply and thanked them.</p><p>She looked at her dark bedroom, Titus by her side. She had silently hoped that maybe Damian would return any minute now. But that was always the norm nowadays, just waiting for him in an empty space.</p><p>She wondered how Jon was and checked if he had reached out to her. It was no surprise that he did and it was time stamped at about eleven am.</p><p>Jon: <em>Hey, I hope you’re feeling better. I still don’t know where D is, but I guess it’s safe to say it isn’t something world threatening because the JL hasn’t said anything. But anyways, I’m leaving for Metropolis in a few hours, my offer still stands. We could even go fishing with my dad. </em></p><p>Raven recalled her stay in Metropolis and the fishing trips she had with Jon’s family. It was actually very fun. Of course, it was still one of her many temporary hobbies, but she did enjoy their company. And that one-time Damian was with them—a happy memory became stale again.</p><p>She gave a quick reply, ‘<em>Thanks Jon for the update. I might take you up on that offer, I will see if my schedule clears up.</em>’</p><p>Even though she knew her schedule was cleared for an entire week, she still wanted to wait one more day for Damian. She desperately wanted to use the opportunity of buying a phone to have a date with him.</p><p>Just him and her.</p><p>She sighed aloud at the thought. It isn’t easy dating a hero especially when they have different affiliations and responsibilities. But she also understood his position because she used to be apart of that world. But the dates that get cancelled, or the dates cut half way or the absence that seem to scream at her. Those things were also making Raven feel like she couldn’t breathe.</p><p>She felt like there was no place for her to really breathe.</p><p>She hears a ping and she realized that she was staring at the wall blankly. She brings her violet eyes toward her laptop on Damian’s desk.</p><p>Jon: <em>Alright. I will be here if you need me for anything Rae.</em></p><p>And she smiled, close to bursting into tears.</p><p>She felt that Jon was more with her than Damian was in the past two years. And she was unsure if her mind was playing tricks on her. Making her forget if her boyfriend was comforting her. All she knew was that, it seemed like it was always Jon who was around to comfort her. And it was driving her nuts.</p><p>Everything was driving her nuts.</p><p>Raven clenches her chest and her hands flickered with a dark purple hue. She noticed what was happening and she slowed down her breathing to try and keep calm. Eventually the purple glow disappeared and she sat there looking at Jon’s reply.</p><p>Raven: <em>Thanks, Jon.</em></p><p>With that she closed her laptop screen not even bothering to turn the thing off. She just wanted to sleep.</p><p>“Sleep with me tonight.” She whispered to Titus as she rubs his head again. And Titus jumps onto the bed, on Raven’s side and she smiled.</p><p>“You know I want to sleep on his side of the bed, huh?” She mutters approaching Damian’s side and getting settled in.</p><p>Tomorrow, if he returns, they really need to talk. She swore to herself. When he returns they really have to talk.</p><p>For sure this time. She will do it. She kept repeating until her mind went dark and her lungs was filled with his scent. Her arm wrapped around his favorite pet.</p><p><em>‘I really miss you.</em>’ She whispered.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Author's Notes:<br/>Sorry for the long updates, aside from being busy; I have so much DamiRae fics on the workds.<br/>I will try and slowly write this. Checkout my other DamiRae fics if you have time, there might be some you like!<br/>I have some compiled in "A Collection of Alternate DamiRae Lives";<br/>and will repost timelines that are lengthy and complete from that compilation. But if you want easy access, check that out.<br/>Thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Check out Elanore-Delpinium at Tumblr, I post DamiRae Fanfics there first.<br/>And karencow on FF.net. I compile my works there and are first to be updated.</p><p>I have already planned everything that will happen to this story, sadly I am a little bit busy and time restrained, so I can't write much.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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